IFP School has set a new ambition for 2026: to become a partner of the European Engineering Learning Innovation and Science Alliance (EELISA).
This initiative aligns with IFP Energies nouvelles’ strategy to strengthen the School’s visibility across Europe.
Founded in 2019, EELISA currently brings together ten higher education institutions (engineering schools, technical universities, and full-spectrum universities) from eight European countries. The goal? To build a unique European engineering degree grounded in academic excellence, pedagogical innovation, and societal engagement.
EELISA: A Strategic Choice for IFP School
The project to join EELISA reflects a strong conviction: IFP School’s development depends on a robust European dynamic.
In a context of growing international competition, the alliance represents a major strategic lever to consolidate IFP School’s positioning.
“Our School is open to the world through its network of academic partnerships. By joining EELISA, we reaffirm our commitment to excellent, open, innovative education that is rooted in contemporary challenges. We aim to strengthen our attractiveness and consolidate our position as a key player in the training ecosystem,” explains Pascal Longuemare, Dean of IFP School.
Beyond European visibility, EELISA provides opportunities to develop high-level academic cooperation, attract talent—both students and faculty-researchers—and encourage innovation.
“EELISA is a heavyweight alliance on the international stage. Becoming a partner will allow us to expand across Europe, enhance our visibility, and accelerate educational innovation,” he adds.
Leading European Academic Alliance
Led by Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (Spain), EELISA brings together prestigious institutions such as Budapesti Műszaki és Gazdaságtudományi Egyetem (Hungary), Universitatea Politehnica din Bucuresti (Romania), Istanbul Teknik Üniversitesi (Turkey), Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (Germany), Zürcher Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaften (ZHAW, Switzerland), and engineering schools including Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna (Italy), Scuola Normale Superiore (Italy), Chimie ParisTech - PSL, Mines Paris - PSL, and École nationale des Ponts et Chaussées.
It is a member of the European Network for Accreditation of Engineering Education (ENAEE) and welcomed two new associate partners outside Europe at the end of 2025: Universidade de São Paulo (USP, Brazil) and xx (UTM, Moldova).
This academic diversity is a major asset for enriching educational pathways and developing interdisciplinary approaches across Europe.
Concrete Benefits for Education and Research
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Integrating IFP School into EELISA will enable:
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Increased cooperation and resource sharing;
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Enhanced mobility and international openness;
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Promotion of innovation and transformation.
The initiative focuses on transferring knowledge, skills, and technologies. It highlights the complementary strengths of each partner to enrich the education of engineers. This will result in joint programs, shared degree issuance, and the creation of multidisciplinary European research teams. The alliance will also open opportunities for sharing infrastructures, data, and virtual campuses.
EELISA will encourage student mobility in engineering (double-degree programs, internships, language immersion, etc.) as well as academic and administrative staff mobility. The work carried out by the alliance will strengthen links between European doctoral schools.
EELISA will also support the evolution of teaching practices by integrating innovative methods (hybrid, active, digital) to adapt training programs to the rapid transformations in engineering professions.
Training the European Engineers of Tomorrow
More inclusive, interdisciplinary, and focused on major societal and environmental challenges, EELISA aims to reinvent the European model for engineering education.
By joining this alliance, IFP School confirms its commitment to actively contributing to this transformation while strengthening its European roots and international attractiveness.
Article written by Meyling Siu